Panel to soon submit report on division of BBMP

IT and BT Minister S R Patil said on Thursday that a select committee of the Legislative Council, set up to look into a bill to establish three new corporations in Bengaluru, will submit its report soon.

Speaking to reporters after interacting with the party workers at the KPCC office, he said the committee had been preparing a detailed report on the bill and that it would be tabled in the Council soon. He, however, did not reveal whether it would be submitted in the upcoming monsoon session of the State legislature beginning on June 29.

The committee has already held four rounds of meeting. It had sent a team of officials to Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai to study how local bodies function in those cities, Patil, also the chairman of the committee, said.

The ruling Congress had introduced a bill to amend the Karnataka Municipal Corporation Act to establish three new corporations, replacing the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike. Opposition parties, the BJP and the JD(S), had vehemently opposed the proposed amendments and forced the government to refer the bill to the select committee in the council.

The minister further said the government had no intention to postpone the elections to the BBMP. The government will not use the bill to postpone the elections. The BBMP polls will be held as per the Supreme Court order, he said.

If the government manages to get the bill passed in the legislature and obtain the governor’s assent, the BBMP will cease to exist. Then, the State Election Commission will not be able to hold elections until three new corporations are established.